Casual brunch tabletop ideas

A stack of plates, a mugful of knives and forks, some simple, stress-free food rustled up before guests arrive -- what could be easier than a brunch party? The key is to make your tabletop as inviting and adaptable as the occasion itself, with comfortable chairs, a pretty cloth and plenty of serve-yourself elements. Get it right and you might find your breakfast-come-lunch lingers on till teatime.

Easy tableware With its gather-round-the-campfire connotations, vintage enamelware is just right for an informal brunch. Original pieces can be picked up second-hand, but can now reach high prices; repro items are less expensive, but may not have quite the vintage appeal.

A touch of red Picking one of two colours to form the basis of a tabletop scheme helps all the elements hang together. Inspiration can come from anywhere. Here, the red of the flowers in the sprigged floral cloth was the starting point for a red theme, which is echoed in the napkins, strawberries and flowers.

Pastel shades Enamelware -- the first Technicolor kitchenware to be mass-produced -- comes in a variety of lovely vintage hues. Look online to find pretty teapots, cups and plates like these ones, which will work with the rest of your tableware.

Help yourself Including help-yourself elements at a brunch party is a good idea, whether it's cutlery stashed in a mug, or platters and bowls piled with delicious things to eat. Allowing guests to serve themselves means less work for you and makes everyone feel easy and relaxed.